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David Atherton

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  • Birthday 06/30/1980

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  1. At Pompeii the going rate was between 2 and 20 asses ... so perhaps you'd need a purse full of quadrantes!
  2. This wasn't expensive and I was missing it... plus, it's a pretty handsome piece! Domitian Æ Quadrans, 1.97g Rome Mint, 81-82 AD Obv: IMP DOMIT AVG; Head of Minerva, helmeted, r. Rev: S C in laurel wreath RIC 125 (C). BMC 486. BNC -. Acquired from Gert Boersema, February 2024. A fairly common early Domitianic quadrans, struck either in 81 or early 82. The quadrans in the early imperial period typically lacked an imperial portrait, here instead we have Domitian's patron deity Minerva on the obverse. Tariffed at a quarter of an as, the denomination was possibly deemed too lowly by mint officials to warrant a portrait. They were struck haphazardly and functioned primarily as an urban low value coinage in Rome and central Italy. The quadrans was the typical fee for entry into the baths, a urinal, or for a tryst in a cheap brothel. Being of rather low value quadrantes were not typically hoarded and thus are relatively scarce today being virtually absent from site finds outside central and south-central Italy (in contrast, over 1,827 quadrantes have been found at Pompeii). In hand. Thanks for looking!
  3. I used to agree with all of what you say, but ... What got me thinking about this more seriously was a recent coin I added. Vespasian Æ Sestertius, 23.86g Rome mint, 71 AD Obv: IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M TR P P P COS III; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r., with aegis Rev: PAX AVGVSTI; S C in field; Pax stg. l., with branch and cornucopiae RIC 182 (R3, this coin). BMC -. BNC -. Ex Harlan J Berk BBS 225, 30 November 2023, lot 9. Ex Curtis Clay Collection. Ex CNG E93, 7 July 2004, lot 83. Not described in the HJB catalogue as 'smoothed', but the earlier CNG listing mentions 'light smoothing'. I suppose after hearing Aaron B's opinion on the matter I now know why it wasn't mentioned! This was the first coin I have knowingly purchased that has smoothing (almost certainly there are others unknowingly so). The above coin is provenanced to the Curtis Clay Collection and cited by RIC ... if it's good enough for them, it's good enough for me! This coin, and Aaron's comments made me rethink my opinion on the matter. I don't believe the above coin is egregiously smoothed, but then again I have no Idea what it looked like before hand. Possibly, the smoothing was part of the cleaning process since most of the black patina is still intact. At any rate, I voted yes. IMHO, a little smoothing is acceptable with these big bronzes, otherwise you will have precious little to collect!
  4. That's a fantastic reverse! I love it. Congrats!
  5. I was going to link the video in the OP so folks could hear his own explanation, but couldn't remember which episode it was (I think it was in January).
  6. Recently, Aaron Berk on his Ancient Coins Youtube Podcast stated light smoothing on bronze coins doesn't bother him at all. He equated it as part of the cleaning process. So, I was wondering how everyone here felt about it. Light smoothing of corrosion or patina in the fields as part of cleaning the process, yay or nay?
  7. Thanks! I think with videos, especially for big bronzes, you get a better idea of their heft.
  8. Probably this one as Caesar under Titus. https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=156227 They really don't come much better than that. I think it's no accident it's provenanced to a portrait painter.
  9. I'm never disappointed when receiving a Domitian bronze ... especially his early ones, which can be quite pleasing in hand (the video shows this aspect off better). Domitian Æ Sestertius, 26.73g Rome mint, 82 AD Obv: IMP CAES DIVI VESP F DOMITIAN AVG P M; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r. Rev: TR P COS VIII DES VIIII P P; S C in field; Minerva stg. l., with spear RIC 105 (C2). BMC 274. BNC 285. Acquired from Classic World Coins, February 2024. Minerva's prominence on Domitian's coinage first showed up on his early bronzes produced in 81-82 before she dominated his denarii. While Domitian's initial denarius output is dominated by the carry-over pulvinar types from Titus, his first two issues of sestertii have a more personal touch with the reverses featuring his patron deity. This common sestertius struck in early 82, just prior to the mint's overhaul later the same year, demonstrates that the finest engravers were not just reserved for Domitian's aurei. A superb portrait and fine reverse. In hand. Thanks for looking!
  10. Welcome back to the fold! Stay away from Flavians, they're overrated.
  11. Your new Hadrian is superb Donna. And a wonderful write-up to go with it. Congrats!
  12. I love your term 'sleeper rarity', suits it rather well.
  13. I've been after this Domitian denarius variety for many years. For one reason or another it has always managed to slip just out of reach ... not forgetting they are notoriously hard to attribute from photos alone since old dies were often re engraved with an additional numeral squeezed in between the legend. Although this may be considered a minor 'grail', it was so satisfying to finally acquire one of these elusive specimens! It now completes this very rare denarius issue in my collection. Domitian AR Denarius, 3.16g Rome mint, 92 AD Obv: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM P M TR P XI; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r. Rev: IMP XXII COS XVI CENS P P P; Minverva stg. r. on capital of rostral column, with spear and shield; to r., owl (M2) RIC 736 (R2). BMC -. RSC -. BNC -. Ex Tater's Relics, eBay, 14 February 2024. Domitian struck the same series of four Minerva types for his denarii regularly every year from 83 onwards. Some issues are more rare than others - a few are very rare. This coin is from a very rare issue struck towards the end of summer 92 and can be dated by the TR P XI and IMP XXII, an exceedingly rare combination. This series commemorating his 22nd imperial acclamation was most likely awarded for a victory against the Sarmatians and Suevi near the end of the campaigning season just before he became TR P XII on 14th September. The rarity of this dating combination indicates how tight the window was for this issue's production. Struck in such haste, the second 'I' in the imperial acclamation date is often squeezed in on the reused dies from the previous issue (as is the case with the present coin). Missing from both the BM and Paris collections. In hand. Thank you for looking!
  14. I suppose for a generalist it's of some value... but like I said, it's not that pressing for me. I only have to worry about 27 years of ancient coinage! 😆
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